Are people calling you for advice … inviting you to sit on expert panels … knocking down your inbox begging you to work on their best projects?

When you become an authority in your field, you become more influential, get more attention, receive greater recognition, and earn more money. That’s what true authority can do for you.

Time to test your content marketing chops

So, are you a content marketing authority? Take the short quiz to test your knowledge below.

Leave your answers in the comments …

True or false: keyword research tools allow you to see what people are actually searching for on the web.

What are the three pillars of online content marketing? (Hint: one of them is “Content” … the other two start with an “S”.)

When is the best time of day (or night) to send an email to your list, to get the best response?

Name two benefits of creating a content landing page (there are a total of four).

What’s the difference between content marketing and copywriting?

What does it mean when we say “don’t build on rented land”?

True or false: cornerstone content has a short shelf life.

What is the optimum number of goals a landing page should have: one, two, or three?

What does CTA mean?

Based on Average Order Value, which source of traffic is more profitable: search or social?

Now, if you got all ten right, you … you, my friend, are a marketer to be worshipped. Seven to nine right and you are one smart content marketing cookie. Four to seven and you are certainly on your way to authority status.

Less than four? Don’t worry …

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So now we need to aim for short copy, people still want to to be well informed no ?
I’m trying to write 2000 – 3000 word articles, as 250 -500 word articles don’t provide enough information. So what’s right these days ?

1. True
2. Sharing, Search
3. morning
4. SEO, conversion
5. With content marketing, you write for what people are searching for; you put it in terms of what’s in it for them; you’re not trying to sell anything, instead you’re trying to help them first
6. own your site versus putting it on free blogging platform, such as Blogger
7. True
8. 2 … primary goal, secondary goal for those aren’t ready to buy yet
9. Call To Action
10. I’m going to go with ‘Social’ on this one … while search is good for ‘new’ business, social is better for ‘repeat’ business.

I was able to answer most of these without too much thought, but I see most people had a specific time of day in mind for question #3.. wouldn’t the most politically correct response be to test send times on your list and choose the winner based on your audience?

OK I’m going to take a stab at this but as a basic newbie I’m feeling questionable about my answers. Right now anyway, seeing the answers will be encouraging and remind me what I need to brush up on!

1. True or false: keyword research tools allow you to see what people are actually searching for on the web.
True

2. What are the three pillars of online content marketing? (Hint: one of them is “Content” … the other two start with an “S”.)
(Based on #10 I’ll say) Search & Social

3. When is the best time of day (or night) to send an email to your list, to get the best response?
6:00 AM

4. Name two benefits of creating a content landing page (there are a total of four).
Search Engine placement, (based on #8) to achieve the main goal

5. What’s the difference between content marketing and copywriting?
In my eyes the two terms can be interchangeable depending on the circumstances. For example, website page writers could be copywriting or content marketing. However, writers of persuasive letters (direct-response) are copywriting and a Content Marketer will develop an overall strategy where content (website, blogs, press releases, etc) is concerned. Copy is just the content being produced.

6. What does it mean when we say “don’t build on rented land”?
I’m admitting that I’ve never even heard this term before and look forward to finding out the meaning!

7. True or false: cornerstone content has a short shelf life.
False

8. What is the optimum number of goals a landing page should have: one, two, or three?
One

9. What does CTA mean?
Call to Action

10. Based on Average Order Value, which source of traffic is more profitable: search or social?
Split 50/50 on this answer – on 1 hand searching probably brings in a more serious client because they’re looking for what you provide specifically, but on the other something like 86% of businesses use social media to market their business these days. Another answer I’m excited to get the answer on!

If all went according to plan hopefully this means I got an 80%, but clearly the 20% needs work…and in the 80/20 rule that means I have a long way to go

I read that the largest percent of emails were opened between 8-9a and 3-4p, and that email should be sent 1-2 hours prior. This does not fit your times listed above. I don’t recall the source, but it’s been in the last two weeks and would have likely been Hubspot, Moz Blog, KISSmetrics, or Social Media Examiner. Will you please elabrate on the timing?

3. Anytime is a good time for emails. It really depends on the content of the email and the audience.

4. Better conversion that increase your membership site sign-ups and sell more products.

5. Well, you need to have both working together to have the best possible conversion. Content marketing is more focused on quality and bringing value through good content that benefit the target audience. Copywriting is more of a lead or marketing that draws attention to the content and makes people take specific action.

6. Own your domain name and have full control of where your content is published.

7. False

8. One!

9. Call to Action

10. From my experience it’s search. But social works if you have a right connections and reach.

1. True
2. Content, Search, Social
3. Early a.m.
4. SEO & Sales
5. Content marketing is copy built to be found (via search & social) while copywriting is copy built to sell products/services (conversion)
6. Don’t build content on a site you don’t own because it could disappear at any time; publish first on your own site, then distribute the content to others who may be interested in publishing as well
7. False
8. One
9. Call To Action
10. Social

1. True
2. Content, Search, Social
3. It depends on the list, but if you have a worldwide audience I think it’s best to mail when it’s the evening in Japan, afternoon in Europe and morning in USA.
4. You educate the person about the product with your content.
5. Content marketing is the art of making sales with content and copywriting is the art of influencing people to take a desired action using words.
6. Don’t rely your business on website you don’t own: Facebook, Tumblr, YouTube, Blogger etc.
7. False
8. 1
9. Call To Action
10. Search

I am going to go out on a limb and join the brave souls that answered. That way I can’t cheat myself when you post the real answers, Demian.
1. False
2. Content, Search, Social Media
3. 7am Eastern
4. It directs people where you want them to go & you can split test? (really grasping on this one).
5. Copywriting is more action oriented.
6. Own your own site
7. False
8. one
9. Call To Action
10. Social

1.True
2. content, SEO, Social media
3. 10 am and 2pm and after 6pm
4.Teach people about the products to turn prospects into customers,tending the tribe
5.Copywriting is the act of writing copy for the purpose of selling or marketing a product, business, or idea. Where as Content marketing is the act of educating people about the products with valuable content to own their trust and consequently do business.
6.Publish your best content on web properties that you personally own (i.e., your own self-hosted website)
7.False
8.one
9.call to action
10.social

1. True or false: keyword research tools allow you to see what people are actually searching for on the web. Oh, I sincerely hope so.
2. What are the three pillars of online content marketing? (Hint: one of them is “Content” … the other two start with an “S”.) Search, social.
3. When is the best time of day (or night) to send an email to your list, to get the best response? Depends on your market. B2B? B2C? US? EU?
4. Name two benefits of creating a content landing page (there are a total of four). Fulfill a very specific request and satisfy the searcher, perhaps begin a new relationship. Add a page to your total. SEO.
5. What’s the difference between content marketing and copywriting? Copywriting is a creative task. Content marketing is a complex strategy that includes all kind of tactics and activities, including creation of assets, distribution and other ways of inviting engagement, measurement, and so on.
6. What does it mean when we say “don’t build on rented land”? Don’t make a big investment or anchor a big project on turf you can’t control.
7. True or false: cornerstone content has a short shelf life. False.
8. What is the optimum number of goals a landing page should have: one, two, or three? One.
9. What does CTA mean? Call (or calls) to action.
10. Based on Average Order Value, which source of traffic is more profitable: search or social? Search. I remember reading recently that search led, followed by email, followed by…but was that numbers of orders instead of order value? Hmmm. Is this a trick question?

1. True
2. Content, Social and SEO
3. Night
4. High visibility of purpose of website, capture email subscribers on 1st visit , Sets the tone of website to 1st time visitor, Great opportunity for sales
5. Content marketing focuses on SEO and Social Media where as Copy Writing solely depends upon the article itself which can persuade (effortlessly) readers to buy something.
7- True
8- One goal i.e to build a targeted list.
9- Cost To Action ( Copied from above)
10- Social ( Social comes first, search is dependent upon it)

Nice quiz Demian Farnworth. The key to online marketing success is to never stop learning and applying what you learn.

#4 – going for all four! – Content landing pages can be great for
1) focusing links that are contextually related,
2) make valuable content more easily discovered by users onsite,
3) get back links from &$%# scrapers re-post your work and
4) get valuable contextual links from legitimate bloggers who like to link to and reference cornerstone/content landing pages, especially those that are collections of high value resources. It’s about getting more ROI from your content.

#6 is about avoiding being a digital sharecropper! Owned media is where it’s at. Website and blog on own domain in your control. You reap benefits as opposed to driving advertising revenue for user generated content. Sonia’s post on the topic inspired me to blog on it, but will resist the temptation to post a link here

I agree with a previous commenter that the old school desks are a nice touch!

I highly doubt I will pass but the post is so infectious I just had to try it

1 True
2.Content,SEO , Social Media
3 Between 9-11 am and 5-7 pm ??
4 More sign ups, network,longer time to show what your about
5 Honestly not sure
six. Be original dont use someone else stuff to build your own cause then you have no real foundation to rely when you need it
7false
9. Call to Action
8.2
10. I am going say Social?

Was challenged to take this, let’s see how I do.
1. true
2. content, seo, social
3. depends on your list, so test your assumptions, but more check email during the work day
4. I. relevance II. credibility III. fast delivery to searchers
5. content marketing means creating content to provide specific value based on the reader’s needs
6. no idea
7. false! it should have a long shelf life and lasting relevance
8. pick one!
9. call to action
10. social

3. A lot of reports recommend between 9:00am – 11:00am weekdays, But such blanket assumptions can get marketers in trouble!! Test what’s best!

4.
– Customized/optimized url
– Leads them to your website.
– Specific CTA for people looking for your product or service NOW.

5.
Copywriting: As a copywriter, I write things about things that people want other people to know, buy, or try.

Content: As a content writer, I provide the reader with useful information to help them do their job or manage something in their life better…much better…so much better that they want more, and they provide their email address to get more! And so…an email marketing list is born to market related products to this audience.
Both copywriting and content writing build trust, motivate, and persuade.

1) False: it’s what keywords people are bidding on
2) Hmmm…social and SEO?
3) email blasts in the wee hours of the morning; newsletters 11amish Tues-Thurs
4) make a sale, get an email address
5) content marketing is creating valuable content for your audience; copywriting is putting the words together
6) get and keep people on your website
7) false
8) one
9) call to action
10) search

I am not sure about the answer no 8 its simply a guess
1) True
2) SEO, SMO
3) Late morning
4) Subscription, Conversion
5) Copywriting is part of content marketing
6) Develop you own brand and launch it on your good hosting with TLD and premium template
7) False
8) two; subscription and conversion
9) Call to action
10) Search

1. True (but partially)
2. Content Sharing
3. Morning, early afternoon
4. Conversion opportunities are greater, and targeting opportunities too.
5. Copy-writing – Writing a content that have a great deed of marketing and advertising. In turn, grabs the view of larger audience.
Content marketing – The written content is then been marketed/promoted to various websites.
6. Never to spend time on the blog sites that we don’t own
7. False
8. One
9. Obviously, it’s a Call to Action
10. Search (remains higher)

Loved the way you gamified the whole thing and added a plug in the end, Demian. Not to mention the awesome way to invite comments. It’s fun and a complete win-win post.

I’m still new into content marketing, but here are my answers:

1. False
2. Social, Simplicity
3. Early morning, ard 6-8 a.m. as far as I remember
4. Better focus, higher conversion
5. Content marketing is creating content (and relationships) that builds authority and trust among your target audience, keeps them aware about what you do without sounding too sale-sy as you give them free expert advice that is valuable and make their lives better. This is a long-term, indirect sales approach.

Copywriting is a direct-sales approach that aims to close the sale immediately.

6. Don’t establish an authority on someone else’s site.
7. True
8. One
9. Call to action
10. Social as people are more engaged

3) A few hours before dawn in your target audiences’ world that way your email is first on their list when they check it in the morning.

4) a) You can direct them where to go next in a targeted manner b) You can focus the most important part of your message. c) You automatically have a better bounce rate. d) …okay, I ran out of steam.

5) Content Marketing is creative and engaging content directed at solving your target audience’s pain points with at least one call to action embedded in the delivery media. Copywriting is content that describes the features of a product or service with the desires and motives of the provider driving content and message. But great copywriting has always been content marketing.

6) invest most of your energies in your website/blog that is self-hosted rather than social media channels which you have little or no control over.

7) false. It should be evergreen.

8) One and only one. Focus, focus, focus

9) Call-to-action

10) When people search that means they are ready to buy. When people are being social, sales pitches are interruptions. Answer is search traffic has a higher conversion rate.

I think I did okay. Maybe shaky on a couple. I am ripe for Authority…as soon as I can squeeze it into my budget.